Nike Tennis Code

Funny Nike Tennis Ad - The funniest videos clips are here

Player Ratings

Player Ratings for club players are usually between 2.5 and 5.5. Tennis pros, top juniors, national players, pro circuit players, and collegiate players are usually rated closer to the 5.5 levels. Here are the characteristics required to compete at the league levels.

1.5 You have limited experience and are working primarily on getting the ball in play.

2.0 You lack court experience and your strokes need developing. You are familiar with the basic positions for singles and doubles play.

2.5 You are learning to judge where the ball is going, although your court coverage is limited. You can sustain a short rally of slow pace with other players of the same ability.

3.0 You are fairly consistent when hitting medium-paced shots, but are not comfortable with all strokes and lack execution when trying for directional control, depth, or power. Your most common doubles formation is one-up, one-back.

3.5 You have achieved improved stroke dependability with directional control on moderate shots, but need to develop depth and variety. You exhibit more aggressive net play, have improved court coverage and are developing teamwork in doubles.

4.0 You have dependable strokes, including directional control and depth on both forehand and backhand sides on moderate-paced shots. You can use lobs, overheads, approach shots and volleys with some success and occasionally force errors when serving. Rallies may be lost due to impatience. Teamwork in doubles is evident.

4.5 You have developed your use of power and spin and can handle pace. You have sound footwork, can control depth of shots, and attempt to vary game plan according to your opponents. You can hit first serves with power and accuracy and place the second serve. You tend to overhit on difficult shots. Aggressive net play is common in doubles.

5.0 You have good shot anticipation and frequently have an outstanding shot or attribute around which a game may be structured. You can regularly hit winners or force errors off of short balls and can put away volleys. You can successfully execute lobs, drop shots, half volleys, overhead smashes, and have good depth and spin on most second serves.

5.5 You have mastered power and/or consistency as a major weapon. You can vary strategies and styles of play in a competitive situation and hit dependable shots in a stress situation.

6.0 to 7.0You have had intensive training for national tournament competition at the junior and collegiate levels and have obtained a sectional and/or national ranking.

7.0You are a world-class player.

Davis Cup

USA vs Spain, Friday to Sunday. Welcome to Slaughter House 5. It looks to be a losing effort but crazier things have happened. Nadal a beast on the red clay will face Querrey a bonafied hustler makin his name right off the bat. Querrey replaces James Blake who is still depressed from his performance or lack thereof in the US Open. Roddick will face Ferrer, no easy task, and then the singles will flip flop. Basically, Roddick and Querrey NEED to burn the Ferrer'i or take a piece of the pie from Nadal. It is likely that the two could burn Ferrer and the American's could come out unscathed. There are plenty of what if scenarios going on here so it will make for an interesting match up. I am interested in seeing Querrey making a big statement beating the Beast on the red clay. I hate to admit this but Sam looks like such a geek, someone who got beat up in High School or had a lot of zits and was that tall goofy smart kid. My hitting partner in HS, Rip, looked just like this guy. Hopefully Sam can get HOT this weekend though.

Lopez and Verdasco are no pushovers themselves but I dont think they have a shot against the Fish-man and the Twin. I think that just based on adrenaline they will win and with an oddball doubles matchup instead of the "usual" it will be exciting for them and will be a thrilling victory.

Draw for this weekend's United States-Spain Davis Cup semifinal in Madrid, on clay at the Las Ventas bullfighting ring...

Friday Sam Querrey vs. Rafael Nadal Andy Roddick vs. David Ferrer
Saturday Mike Bryan/Mardy Fish vs. Fernando Verdasco/Feliciano Lopez
Sunday Andy Roddick vs. Rafael Nadal Sam Querrey vs. David Ferrer

Quantum Leap

This Tour Player Has A Jump Serve Volley Ball Style

WHO AM I?

Chicken Balls

Ladies, here’s a hint. If you’re up against a girl with big b/o/o/bs, bring her to the net and make her hit backhand volleys. That’s the hardest shot for the well-endowed.Billie Jean King

Interviewer: So, are you enjoying New York?

Roger Federer: It’s OK for two weeks.

He can’t cook.” (Michael Chang, on being asked to list Pete Sampras’s weaknesses)

The trouble with me is that every match I play against five opponents: umpire, crowd, ball boys, court, and myself.” (Goran Ivanisevic)

Upon gaining a wildcard bid to the US Open Tennis Championships: That’s great - I’m only seven wins away from my first grand slam title.- Justin Gimelstob

Suisse Cheese

POSTED BY LEE ABBAMONTE

It has been a tumultuous year for the best tennis player of all time but Monday, Roger Federer was able to wrap up his fifth consecutive US Open championship and 13th overall major title. He thoroughly manhandled Brit Andy Murray who was making his grand slam final debut after his convincing win over top ranked Rafael Nadal. As a huge Federer fan, I was delighted to see him back on top after losing the past two major finals to Nadal. Combine those finals with his Aussie Open semifinal appearance and his semifinal major streak reached 18-which is unbelievable and has never even been approached and probably never will be. Federer’s “off” year, which would be anyone else’s best year was punctuated by this historic win as he sets his sights on regaining the top ranking by the end of the year.

Federer has some making up to do but with two Masters Series stops left in Madrid and Paris along with the season ending Masters Cup in Shanghai in November. He will also be appearing in the Stockholm Open for the first time along with his hometown tournament in Basel. If he wins out he will regain the top ranking no matter what Nadal does and can afford a few slip ups as well. I look forward to the rest of the race this season.

This years US Open saw the emergence of several young stars. First and foremost, Andy Murray finally capitalized on his considerable talent by beating Nadal and reaching number four in the world. Juan Martin Del Potro also emerged as a force making the quarters along with Luxembourg ace Gilles Muller. American Sam Querrey, who you can’t help but root for, beat Ivo Karlovic and then gave Nadal all he could handle before succumbing but made the fourth round for the first time and set the table for next year. Finally, Mardy Fish made the quarters and also gave Nadal a run for it but continued his high and low play this year-hopefully he can turn it around next year and stay consistent.

This years US Open went according to form for the most part with the worlds top four players making the semi’s but in the end order was restored to the world and Roger Federer is still champion in New York.

Sports Psychology

Sports Psychology 101: Setting Goals and priorities is healthy not just in the game of tennis. I believe in goals more than I believe in many things in life. Here are some of my priorities and beliefs...

1. Power Greater than Myself

2. Family and Friends

3. Career and Finances

Setting goals, objectives, and priorities are ways to fast forward life to get where you want to be. Personal goal setting is more valuable than you can dream of. I am a dreamer and I think most of us are dreamers. Find direction and live life your way. Goal setting is powerful and creating an ideal future motivates myself to find joy in the present. I believe in the philosophy that if you want anything bad enough you can get it. Whether it be a Ferrari, earn a billion dollars, get that A, win the US Open, be famous, or to have perfect teeth. Letting people know about your goals will help keep you accountable because accountability is extremely important. Sometimes I say things or set goals and then forget I said them until someone repeats them to me. It happens often in my teaching lessons and when my students remember that makes me feel like a success. Emphasizing education during my lessons has been one of my goals because knowledge is power.

Once I achieve a few smalls goals it helps me build confidence and builds it fast. Sometimes I am on cloud 9 and feel like I can do anything. One thing I learned from Pete Sampras was that he knew early on he was going to be a professional tennis player. He did not plan on being number one, but he planned on improving all the time and planned to do that with his life. The earlier you figure out your goals the sooner you will achieve them. I am turning 28 very soon and I have set goals to meet before the age of 30 so I am getting nervous.

Whether it be to improve your ranking, win a tournament, own a club, reduce unforced errors, improve your net game, add 10mph to your serve, beat a certain person, increase your rating, develop a brilliant approach shot, setting goals to do this has great value. Placing deadlines on goals is the best advice I can pass on. Setting deadlines will allow you to measure your success (or failure) and to either extend the goal or move along.

Open Sesame

NYC 2008: Love him or hate him. He is in the final...again. Roger Federer has been in the final of 3 out of the 4 majors and the semifinal in the other. Not bad of a year for someone who allegedly is on the fall and down and out. Today I am posting in his defense. He has beaten the tricky Stepanek, Andreev gave him a run for his money, he smoked Muller's dream run with ease, and dominated the impressionist nole djokovic to close the door.

Rafa is not in the best place to make it, and his dominance is not as in depth on the hard courts. I didn't expect Rafa to get past Mardy Fish, and I think if I had stayed up past the first set he wouldn't have. Murray does play well, he is a bit of a grinder who makes few errors. Federer is not the "Federer" we have grown to know, but is still good enough to beat Murray, not that I will be rooting for Rog. Not to count my chickens before they hatch, but Rafa still has a slim shot and will be making a statement if he rallies back from this deficit. I think he has a slim chance and slim just left town. Did you know that no male current playing on the tour has won a grand slam past the age of 27? Food for Thought...